


Happy Anniversary

by Hiddenfaithy



Category: The Outer Worlds (Video Game)
Genre: Anniversary, Canon Asexual Character, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Cheek Kisses, Cute, F/F, Fluff, Kisses, Love Confessions, Picnic, Poetry, Post-Endgame, ace rep, botanical gardens power rerouted, date, emerald vale, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,500
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26333362
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hiddenfaithy/pseuds/Hiddenfaithy
Summary: Commission. Parvati takes Junlei to Emerald Vale to celebrate their anniversary.
Relationships: Parvati Holcomb/Junlei Tennyson
Comments: 7
Kudos: 20





	Happy Anniversary

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Firwalker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Firwalker/gifts).



> Commission for Firwalker.

The cool air was a pleasant distraction as Parvati jogged ahead of Junlei, eyes trained for any dangers. The green hills were quiet, while the nearby stream babbled with an appealing noise. Once she was satisfied, Parvati returned to her slowly approaching date and took her by the hand. “Almost there!” She announced, nerves coloring her words. They weren’t terribly far from the botanical gardens where Adelaide led her people, with power restored to them rather than Edgewater. A bittersweet taste rose in the back of Parvati’s throat at their presence here, back in the home she’d left and helped end.

Pushing all that aside, she smiled at Junlei. “I hope you like it, I know you spend most of your time on Groundbreaker so I thought that- well- maybe you’d like a change of pace.” Brown eyes warmed into a smile to reassure the ever anxious engineer. “Right, course, sorry.”

Junlei tugged on their clasped hands and kissed Partavi’s cheek. “It’s nice to smell the fresh air, I won’t lie. As much work as Groundbreaker does, recycled air doesn’t much compare to the real thing.”

Parvati snickered, cheeks aflush. “Well, up here you can’t smell all the salt. As much as it reminds me of home, salty fish ain’t exactly the most pleasant of smells.”

“I see,” Junlei said thoughtfully. “So, what have you brought me all the way out here for? All you told me was a special date to unwind.”

With a finger to her lips, Parvati shook her head. “Nope! I am not spoiling this, I worked too hard on it to ruin things now!”

A soft laugh escaped Junlei and she shook her head, stray locks from her messy brown bun bouncing around her. Parvati admired her for a moment, a flutter of nerves rocking through her once more. Everything Junlei did seemed so breathless to Parvati, an ease and calmness to the captain that comforted Parvati. She could go on for days reworking a problem in the very definition of insanity, while Junlei would just take a moment to breathe, think, and solve it right then. That calmness was something she truly admired about her girlfriend, and something she hoped to grow into herself.

Shaking herself back into the moment, Parvati smiled as sunlight dappled down onto them. Rounding one last bend, she covered Junlei’s eyes. “Okay, so I just wanted to say, first and foremost, I’m very lucky that we’re together and you make me incredibly happy every day!”

Junlei chuckled, her hands resting on Parvati’s. “You make me very happy too,” she replied in her melodic voice. “I’m glad we met when we did. You’re the fuel that keeps my engines going, and the stars I chart my course to.”

“Gah, you’re so much better with your words!” Parvati stomped a foot in frustration, then pulled her hands away from Junlei’s face. She stepped in front of her, smiling nervously but there was an edge of certainty that had come with their time spent together. “What I’m tryin’ to say, is happy anniversary.” 

A warm smile crested Junlei’s lips, and she pulled Parvati into a tight embrace. After a few moments, they pulled apart and Parvati blushed fiercely. She stepped back to reveal what she’d brought Junlei to the Emerald Vale for. A beautiful picnic blanket was spread across the grass with books and a basket weighing it down. A candle awaiting being lit in a small glass vase, while flowers had been woven into crowns and rested in their place. Parvati quickly activated the radio holding one of the corners down. Soft music with pleasing tones filled the natural ambiance around them, kissing their ears and warming their hearts.

“Wow, you really went all out,” Junlei gasped. Her eyes shone with adoration as she took in Parvati, reaching for her hand.

“What can I say, you’re my everythin’,” Parvati whispered shyly. Junlei gave her a kiss on the cheek, before settling onto the vivid red blanket. She put the flower crown on and assured it was well fitted. “Wildflowers… Just like you!”

“I do listen,” Parvati said with a blush as she dawned her own crown. “Plus I like the nickname.”

“It’s fitting don’t you think?”

Parvati agreed then reached into the basket and drew out their feast of a dinner. Bread, mock apples, buncha nanners with jams made from both fruits and other spreads were carefully prepared for consumption. Boarst wurst composed the main ingredient of the meal, resting in a container that kept it nicely heated. Mock apple juice was quickly poured into glasses to wet their tongue and wash down the meaty tastes. Junlei happily began to dine on the meal. While it was relatively easy to make, it didn’t make her less appreciative.

“Now how did you get here before me and set this up?” She inquired between bites.

“Ah-ah! Not giving away my secrets!” Parvati held up her fork, scowling dramatically. “Then you’ll get me good next time.”

“Who says I’m not planning something right now, or already did?”

“Hmm, that is a fair point, but I took you out of your comfort zone so I doubt it’ll be here in the Vale that you surprise me. I do look forward to whatever it is you’ve got planned though. You’re really good at those, plans ‘n such.”

Laughter danced with music, and they carried on eating. “I suppose I shouldn’t share my secrets either,” she teased, making her girlfriend blush. “But once we’re back home we’ll have quite the time.”

“Lookin’ forward to it.”

Some time passed of them dining and telling little stories and jokes, pleasant moments in very pleasant company. Parvati admired everything about Junlei, from her confidence to her eloquent way of speaking to the simple happiness in her eyes whenever she looked at Parvati. Time around her wasn’t long or short, it was just right. The whole solar system was perfect when they were together. “Do you miss it here?” Junlei asked suddenly.

“What?”

“Here, Emerald Vale… Edgewater. Do you miss it?”

Blinking, she tucked some loose hair behind her goggles. “Well, yeah… I miss the people the most, lots of stories, lots of memories. I don’t blame the Captain for what they chose, even though I didn’t want to take power away from Edgewater. They’re something else, and certainly no fan of the companies.”

“An attitude I appreciate.”

“Course, yeah, given Groundbreaker and all that makes sense. But… I was raised there with my Pa, and those people were my people. Sure, it stunk and Mr. Reed liked to yell and berate me and just wanted instant solutions when machines need time to get to workin’. I know Mrs. Adelaide needed a talkin’ to to let more people join her group of folks, and that she… does the thing with bodies for fertilizer. It’s just when it’s all you know, it’s kinda hard not to miss it, even if it had a lot of problems.”

Junlei nodded slowly, listening intently to her words. “I almost miss the salty smell somedays,” Parvati went on. “I miss my old home often. My Dad’s workshop… I didn’t exactly get a chance to pack when I took off with the Captain either, it all went so quickly after they rerouted the power. I guess I just wish there was a way for everybody to have been happy I suppose.”

“I hope Groundbreaker feels like home to you now,” offered Junlei sincerely, taking Parvati’s hand and squeezing it.

Flushing, she gave a little laugh. “My home is you, as long as we’re together I’m happy.”

Blushing herself now, the proud captain of the Groundbreaker tipped her head. She picked up one of the books and examined it. A brow arched in confusion at its contents. “It’s empty.”

A pen produced itself from Parvati’s pockets. “Well… I know you like writing poetry, so I thought maybe we could try doing that together? Show each other what we make? I ain’t very good but that don’t mean we can’t have fun.”

“Well I’m not drunk this time, so it should be better than the first piece I shared with you,” laughed Junlei. “I’d love to write something for you.”

“Good ‘cause I won’t lie I didn’t entirely understand that one!” Parvati exclaimed, “Then again I was just a mess of nerves and the Captain had to calm me down before I could even think straight.”

Emboldened, Junlei began writing in the notebook. She was mindful of Parvati’s eyes, which occasionally tried to steal a glance either to spoil the surprise or for inspiration of her own. More than once she’d caught her in the middle of the act, and brown skin had warmed to a red hue in embarrassment. Eventually, Junlei had forced her to sit back to back so as to avoid any more cheating looks. 

“I promise I’m just admiring your beauty!” Parvati obviously lied.

“Hah!” Junlei shot back, “I’ll let you do that later.”

They continued to banter back and forth as the pair of them worked, playful words flittering between beautiful music and the sounds of nature. The wind rustled the leaves above them, while the planet’s ring curved away into the horizon. Periodically they both paused to admire the world around them, and the other worlds visible in the sky. The much larger planet that Terra-2 orbited had its own spectacular ring and the other satellite world filled the sky with a strange comforting sensation. 

Even all the way out in the Halcyon System, they were not alone.

Junlei finished first and decided to read it aloud to her beloved. “My dearest Wildflower, oh how you move in the wind. Nothing is every still with you, full of life and motion and happiness. Your laughter is like the sound of a purring engine, and your hands as steady as bulkheads. I was in darkness, lost, until you shone into my life and showed me the way. Like a radiant star, you illuminate my life. What once was confusing makes perfect sense. I knew only a fraction of the joy you would bring to my life. Thank you for boarding my ship. Thank you for meeting me. Thank you for being the light of my life.”

Tears filled Parvati’s eyes, and she didn’t bother wiping them away. They embraced passionately, bubbling expressions of just how beautiful it was or how much Parvati loved it slipping from her lips. Time grew a bit slower, warmth in their chests. Eventually, Parvati pulled back, dried her eyes, and held up her own book. “I don’t think it’s near as pretty as that but I gave it my best shot!”

“I already know I’ll love it.”

“You can’t know that I ain’t told you it yet!”

A tender laugh escaped Junlei and she shrugged. “And yet I do.”

Parvati rolled her eyes, though her cheeks ached from smiling. “Okay, just bear with me here. I used to think that I’d always be alone. I thought that something was wrong with me, or that I really was just too cold. But then I met you, and it all made sense. I fell head over heels for you, so fast I might’ve just fallen into a black hole. Never had anyone understood me so truly, so right to my core. I might not be like other people, but you told me that was more than okay. With you, I’m exactly perfect, and better yet I’m only me. I love your wits, and your heart and your laughter. I love the way you let me be me, just like I let you be you. Because there’s nothin’ more I love, than who you really are. I know now I ain’t cold, or broke, just different. But here with you, I’m perfect, and you are too.”

When she finished, Parvati lowered the notebook with a fierce blush. She scratched the back of her head and averted her eyes, embarrassed. “W-Well, there it is. I hope you liked it.”

Hands tugged on her own, lips meeting hers. Parvati squeaked in shock, before melting into the touch of Junlei. “I love you so much,” she vowed between them, “that was amazing Wildflower.” Parvati wasn’t one for kissing, but she knew they were part of how she expressed her love. She loved Junlei’s kisses.

“Ha ha! Phew, I’m glad!”

“You are absolutely brilliant and I love you and I’m so glad we’re together,” Junlei went on, overflowing with love and adoration.

They stood up together, hands clasped as if they might dance. “I love you too,” Parvati whispered. “But the date ain’t over yet!”

“Oh?”

“I’ve got one last thing planned, then we can go back home for whatever you’ve got planned,” Parvati said, tugging on her hands. “A walk along the river?”

“Sounds lovely,” Junlei said, words hummed as she swam in love. With a quick movement to turn off the radio and stow away the food crumbs, Parvati began to lead the way back to the river. The sun was setting about this time, making the reds of the ring stand out in a vibrant display. In the east, a volcano burned, safely far away from them though lava flows were known to reach the area. 

They went along its banks, admiring the way the ring reflected off the cool water. It wasn’t the widest, nor the most impressive, but it was what they had. Parvati picked up stones every so often and skipped them, her dear quick to join. It seemed Parvati’s time spend in the years before at Edgewater hadn’t rusted away, and she whooped in triumph whenever she won. They reminisced together over their time with one another, and some of the time beforehand.

“I used to get tickets for ‘unlicensed terraforming’ for that,” she snickered.

“Sounds like the Board,” Junlei sighed. “I’m glad this place is free now, but I suppose I must thank the Board for one thing.”

“Oh yeah? What, Groundbreaker since they helped fund it comin’ and all?” Parvati asked.

Junlei laughed softly and leaned into her. “No, silly. If it weren’t for them, then you and I would’ve never met. It’s the one good thing they ever gave me, and damn is it quite the gift.”

“Awh, I know we just shared our feelings and all but you sure can make me blush,” Parvati said.

“What can I say, with you, everything is just right. Things aren’t always easy, sure, but so long as I’m with you I know in the end it’ll all work out.” Parvati leaned against her as well, their heads resting together as they walked along the river. Frogs jumped from rocks, fish swam between, and the wind blew the salt of the sea to them. It was a beautiful dusky evening, shared between two great loves. They didn’t know what lay before them, but they didn’t really care. They had each other, they had love, and that was what mattered.


End file.
